


Moments in Time

by Maizeysugah



Series: Moments in the Wizarding World [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-19
Updated: 2015-08-19
Packaged: 2018-04-15 15:40:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4612206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maizeysugah/pseuds/Maizeysugah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry Potter, 17, having defeated the Dark Lord goes back in time to kill baby Tom Riddle...but he can't do it. Afraid to time travel with him, he seeks out Albus Dumbledore in 1927 to ask for help. Together, they raise the little boy, hoping to change the future.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moments in Time

**January, 1927**

The grim surroundings of Wool’s Orphanage troubled 17 year old Harry Potter as he sat in a wobbly chair opposite Mrs Cole in her office. He peered over the desk, watching the woman go through all of the paperwork he’d filled out, looking for any errors. She pulled a rubber stamp out of the desk drawer and slammed it down on the first page. She stood up, held out a hand and shook Harry’s as he stood. “Everything is in order, Mr Riddle. I’m very sorry about your wife. They took her body to the morgue. You can claim her with these.” She handed him a few documents. “Let me get your son, I’ll be right back.” 

The trepidation he felt sat like sludge in the pit of his stomach. He wasn’t so sure he could go through with this anymore. He looked over the documents, sighing, and stuffed them in the inside of his jacket. The woman reentered the room with the baby in her arms. “Oh gods,” he said under his breath. He reached out, seeing his hands shaking as he took the baby from her. “Thank you very much, Mrs Cole. I’ll see myself out.” 

He couldn’t even look at him. He cradled the bundle to his chest and stepped outside of the orphanage, intent on finishing what he planned to do. “I can do this,” he told himself as he walked down the street. He slipped into the alley behind a pub. “Not gonna look at him. I’m gonna do it quick and disappear.” 

He set the baby down on top of a rubbish bin and took his wand out. The swaddling around the baby was not covering his sweet face. “Ugh,” Harry groaned, looking away with a cringe. “Damn.” He couldn’t muster the hatred, or anything other than sympathy for the tiny infant. It was very cold outside. He could see his and the baby’s breath. He was shivering and crying. Harry cursed as he stuck his wand back inside his jacket and lifted the baby up into his arms. “What am I gonna do with you?” he asked the newborn, holding him up to his face. “Well I’m not leaving you here, that’s for damned sure.” 

He cast a warming spell on them while he thought about the possibilities of time travel and its paradoxes. “If I took you out of this time to my time you wouldn’t exist to kill my parents. Is that right? But if you didn’t exist, would they even get together? I wouldn’t be born so I couldn’t even do this…I think? Oh, Merlin, what am I gonna do? I can’t just leave you here…Gods, why are you so freaking cute? Stop looking at me!” 

He pulled his jacket around the baby. He had to think. “Okay, I’m in London, 1 January, 1927. Um, uh…Albus! Albus Dumbledore! Yes! Now where is he? Is he at Hogwarts yet?” he asked the baby, parting his jacket a bit to look down inside. “He’d be in his forties, I think. When was that duel with Grindelwald?” The little baby began to cry again as they walked out of the alleyway. Harry touched his lips with his little finger. The infant latched on and began to suckle it. “Oh, you’re hungry.” He had nothing on him to give this child and no money to buy anything. “I did not think this through. I should have listened to her. She said I couldn’t do it. She is always right…and completely nosey.” He pulled his wand free for a third time, draped the Cloak of Invisibility over them and tightened his arm around the baby. “Okay, hold on, you adorable little pre-Dark Lord, we’re off to Godric’s Hollow.”

* * *

“Pardon me,” Harry said, running up alongside an elderly couple on a stroll down Church Lane. He smiled and tipped his head. “I’m looking for Albus Dumbledore. Do you happen to know which home he resides in?” 

“It’s right there, darling,” the woman said, pointing off to a quaint cottage near the end of the row while eyeing the baby wiggling around under his jacket. 

“Great, thank you,” he said and dashed off toward it, praying he was at home. He got to the front door and knocked. Baby Tom had started to cry again and he was certain that the front of his shirt was soaking wet. “Oh, Merlin, please be home.” The door rattled. “Yes!” Harry shouted, now face to face with the young man. He was very tall and thin, with flowing auburn hair and those striking blue eyes. “Albus, hi! This may sound strange but we’re friends in the future, well, you’re my headmaster…and mentor. I need your help. It’s a really long story and this baby is cold, wet and hungry. Uh, can I come in?” 

Looking down his nose at the boy as he stepped aside. “Yes, of course.” He turned, gesturing through the front room. “Follow me. We’ll fix that baby right up. Is he yours? You look awfully young to have a child.” 

“No, he’s not…err, well, he is now. I mean, he’s technically my son but he’s not my son.” He looked into the parlour and spotted a very familiar looking bird sitting on his perch. “Fawkes!” 

Dumbledore looked back at the boy and blinked. He grabbed a tea cloth and a bottle of milk from the crisper. “Okay, the story. I’m dying to hear this.”

Harry waved his wand over the child and his shirt, drying them up. “My name is Harry Potter. I was a student of yours…” he went on to tell him the tale of his youth while holding Tom, letting him suck on the milk-drenched tea cloth. “And so, you know, fed up, wishing I could change everything so maybe we didn’t have to go through all of this, I sought out a Time-Turner and came back to this time intent on killing him. Sounds terrible, doesn’t it?” 

“But you couldn’t do it. Of course not. Someone like you doesn't kill babies.” He looked down at the newborn, smiling. “And I can see the problem; he’s a cute little devil. Most infants are usually pretty wrinkly and not terribly all that nice to look at.” 

“Yeah, he’s a charmer, alright. You can see why I’m in some sort of predicament. I would take him back to my time with me but risk the chance of never being born. I’m kind of stuck, and I was hoping maybe you could help me out with figuring out what I should do with him. Do you have any knowledge about time travel?” 

Albus ignored the last question. “You say he grew up in an orphanage?” 

Harry gave him a nod. “Yes, and he’s brilliant but they did not know how to handle him. He was a right terror to the other children and it carried on through his schooling at Hogwarts.” 

The older wizard returned a gesture of understanding. “I wonder if he grew up with love and someone who knew how to handle him properly, would he might not turn into someone so evil.” 

“It’s quite possible,” Harry said, rocking the little boy in his lap. 

Albus watched him, seeing the glint of happiness in his eyes while he coddled his supposed nemesis. “Well, the answer is clear.” 

Harry looked up from Tom to Albus. “Which is?” 

Straightening out the wrinkles in the cuffs of his robes, Albus shrugged indifferently. “It's quite obvious, Mr Potter - He stays with you.” 

Harry blinked. “With me? I’ve already told you I can’t risk taking him back.” 

“Then don’t go back,” he replied, smiling. 

“But I have nothing here; no money, nowhere to live,” the boy told him. “I don’t know anyone in this time except you.” 

Albus shrugged. “You said we were friends, and I can see why. You seem like a very good person. What other person would endure such horrors and not be willing to rectify this with one simple act he could easily have removed from his memory directly after the deed was done?"

Harry chuckled with grim foresight. "When you put it that way..." He teased the man with a wink while inching for his wand.

The older wizard began to laugh. He reached out and stayed the boy's hand. "Stay here with me, I have loads of room.” 

“Really?” He thought on it, having a life of peace and quiet, not being the famous Harry Potter. It was an interesting idea. “I can’t just stay, I have friends, I have a girlfriend…” He trailed off, conflicted. 

“It’s up to you,” Albus said, still smiling, “but as I see it, you came out here with an agenda, and perhaps you already knew you wouldn’t be able to kill him.” 

Harry pouted. “Oh, there you go again with your cryptic words to guilt me into doing this. It seems you’ve always been this way.” 

“Perhaps, and maybe I’m lonely and it would be very refreshing hearing about this future we’ll probably be changing.” 

“Well, I don’t have any money to buy nappies or bottles…” he said, grinning. “You’re going to have to help if I stay.” 

He leaned into Harry, giving him a wink. “I might have to stop being a mad eccentric and get a job.” 

Harry nodded, still grinning. “I know where!” 

* * *

 **June, 1928**  

Taking the dummy out of the toddler’s mouth, Albus mused aloud to Harry. “I was thinking about selling a few of Fawke’s tail feathers for some money,” he said, while dangling a sugar quill over Tom’s head. “They would go for a good price. Phoenix feathers are all the rage at the moment.” 

Harry giggled, thinking about his old wand. “Not a half bad idea. Tom-Tom, come to daddy.” He held out his arms as Tom stumbled toward him, and grabbed the toddler up to smother him in kisses. “What did your other daddy give you there? Ooh, a sugar quill! You’re such a sweet boy. For me?” 

“For Hawwy!” Tom cooed, jamming the sugar quill in Harry’s mouth. 

Albus clutched himself watching them dote over each other. They were such the pair. “Hard to imagine what he would turn to be. He just adores you.”

“And you,” Harry added, tipping his head. “He just loves his sweet Albus. Can’t get enough of him, can you, baby?” 

“Abus,” Tom says, groping out to touch the older man’s beard. “Daddy.” 

“That’s right,” Harry agreed, snuggling the toddler before releasing him to wobble over to his other father. 

Tom nestled into the man’s beard, tangling his fingers in it. Albus melted. 

Harry swooned. He clapped a hand over his face, feeling his cheeks burn. 

Albus glanced up at him over his half-moon spectacles in understanding. It was hard to deny his attraction to the handsome young man, who shared his love for all things good and righteous. He was so pleasantly surprised at what a genuinely good person Harry was, a true Gryffindor, so pure and bright and true. The young man took such wonderful care of Tom, despite knowing he was the one who ruined his life, murdered his parents. He doubted he himself could take on such a task, after living so bitterly those last years after what Grindelwald and he had gone through, what with killing his sister and all. 

He looked down at the child in his arms. The toddler was entranced with his eyes, babbling and drooling as he reached up to touch them. “You can’t touch eyes, Tom Tom. Hows about another sugar quill?” 

“Another?” Harry asked, astounded. “You spoil him rotten, Albus.” 

“Abus!” Tom said, grabbing the man’s cheeks to kiss him. 

“I do, don’t I?” Albus said, almost to himself as he snuggled the boy into his chest. “What a precious gift. He deserves it.” 

“I suppose he does,” Harry said, content. 

* * *

**September, 1931**

“Please give a warm welcome to our new Transfiguration and Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers, Albus Dumbledore and Harry Riddle.” Armando Dippet stepped away from the podium to allow Albus and Harry to address the room. Tom was fast asleep draped over Harry’s arms as they greeted the students. 

“Wake up, you, you’ll miss the feast,” Harry said, giving the boy a firm shake. 

Tom yawned and stretched, blinking those large, dark doe eyes while they focused on his father’s charming face. “I’m awake, daddy,” he said, climbing off his lap to take his seat between he and Albus. He gasped, eyeing the myriad of delicious looking foods displayed on the table with a keenness to taste everything. He gazed up at Harry, unsure if he was allowed to eat it. 

Harry smiled, sweeping his hand over the table. “Dig in!” 

* * *

“Manky is catching Master Tom talking to Ashwinders in the gardens, Master Harry!” The house-elf dragged the boy into the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom looking quite cross. All of the students stopped their attacking to watch them. 

Harry screwed up the side of his mouth. “Thank you, Manky. I’ll take it from here. Come here, darling,” he said, wagging a finger at Tom. He climbed up in his lap, sighing like an old granny over being caught. Harry tussled his hair. “I know you’re champing at the bit to speak with them, honestly, I do. But we’ve talked about not doing it when I’m not there. Snakes are dangerous creatures, especially Ashwinders, Tom.” 

The boy’s pretty face softened as he looked around the room at all of the students duelling each other, dying to get his hands on a wand and join them. “When can I get a wand, daddy?” 

“Why, do you think you can perform magic yet?” he asked him, letting him hold the Elder Wand for a moment. Tom swished it through the air and a clock on the wall across the room exploded. Harry blinked. “Oh, dear,” he said and took the wand out of his hands. “Is everyone alright?” he asked looking around the room. 

* * *

“I’m back,” Harry said, peeking into Tom’s room to find Albus reading the boy a bedtime story. He moved inside to give the child a good night kiss. 

Tom was pouting, looking up at his two fathers with envy stirring in his brain. “You both have the most beautiful eyes; so blue, so green. My eyes are ugly, so dark. Why didn’t I get either of your eyes, daddys?” 

“What is this talk?” Harry asked him, pinching his cheek. “Your eyes are gorgeous. Dark eyes are beautiful, Tom. They suit you so well, you have no idea how lovely they are.” 

“I suppose,” the boy said, still pouting with jealousy. “I’m going to invent a spell that changes ones eye colour when I get a wand.” 

“Enough of that talk,” Albus said, closing the book of fairy tales and resting it in his lap. He looked up at Harry, who was looking down at him. “You have very pretty eyes, Tom. And such a handsome face they're set in.” 

Tom yawned and hugged his plush Dementor. “I’m still doing it,” he said, and closed his eyes. 

Harry rolled his, taking Albus’s arm to help him stand. “Children,” he whispered as they left the room. He pulled a small gift out of his pocket as they curled up on the sofa in front of the fireplace. Albus waved his wand, igniting a fire. Harry placed a kiss on his cheek and put the gift in his lap. “For you.” 

“Oh,” Albus said, surprised. “What for?” he asked as he unwrapped it. 

“Just because,” Harry told him, squeezing his arm. "I like seeing you smile."

It was a pair of bright purple knee socks. Albus grinned and gave Harry a kiss. “Thank you so much, you always know what to get me.”

* * *

 **September, 1938**  

Albus held the Daily Prophet up and frowned. He made a scratchy grunting noise in his throat that drew the other two breakfaster eaters' interest to him. What he read troubled him. “This is getting out of hand. His power is growing.” 

“Let me see!” Tom said, grasping for the paper. "Let me read it, daddy!"

Harry looked at the article he was referring to. It was about Gellert Grindelwald. He gave Albus a look, shaking his head ‘no’. 

Albus rolled the paper up and stuffed it into his dressing gown. “It’s nothing, Tom. Eat your Pixie Puffs before they get bored and fly off.” 

Tom crossed his arms over his chest after dropping his spoon into his mushy cereal bowl. “It’s about him, isn’t it? Grindelwald. What does it say?” 

“Grindelwald is a bad person, Tom. We’ve talked about this,” Harry said through pursed lips. 

“People can change,” Tom replied smugly. His eyes grew bright and a smile fought to break out on his face when he thought about the great Grindelwald.  “He’s just so powerful, he’s taking over the wizarding world by storm. How would you know what a bad person he is? You don't know him.” 

"I don't need to know him, Tom. Your father here knew him. He told me plenty about what kind of person he is." Harry gaped at him while hitching a thumb at Albus. “And, just so you know, your father here also defeated him in a duel.” 

“You did?” Tom asked Albus, starstruck. "You duelled him? For real? And you won?"

Albus sighed, hoping this conversation would never have to happen...but here it was. “It’s nothing to be proud of, Tom. My youth and careless trust I put into that man did far more damage to this world, and to my family, than I can ever forgive myself for. My sister was killed during that duel, and my brother refuses to speak to me anymore.” 

Tom slumped back into his seat, crossing his arms. “You never tell me anything. I didn’t even know you had a brother.” 

“No more brooding, young man. Finish your breakfast so we can go. Don’t you want to get that wand you’ve been whining about since the moment you could speak?” Harry asked with big eyes. “Hm?” 

A bright smile curled up on Tom’s lips. “Yes, yes, yes!” he cried, grabbing his spoon. 

* * *

“Try this one. 13 1/2” in length, yew, with a phoenix feather core so graciously sold to me by your father.” 

Harry frowned, seeing the wand in Garrick Ollivander’s possession as he opened the box to reveal it. “Pardon me,” he said, holding up a finger. “Might we try its twin first?” 

“Oh,” Ollivander said, looking over his glasses. “You know it has a twin?” 

“I uh…” Harry adjusted his glasses to hide his flushed cheeks. 

“I believe that sentence was worded poorly. As we sold you two feathers we just assumed. Yes?” Albus interjected, giving Harry’s shoulder a squeeze. 

“Yes,” Harry said, cringing inwardly. “That’s exactly what I meant.” 

“But I liked that wand,” Tom said, pouting as the wand maker walked away with it to get its twin. When he returned and opened the box, Tom scooped it out and frowned. 

“11”, long and supple. Holly wood and phoenix feather core.” 

“Oh, this one’s boring.” He gave it a swish. The room lit up and the angels sang. 

Harry grinned from ear to ear and dropped several galleons on the counter. “Time to go!” he said, steering Tom out of the shoppe. 

* * *

Albus held up the broomstick he’d just purchased and handed it to Tom. 

“For me?” he asked, his mouth and eyes open wide. 

“For you,” Albus replied, feeding off the look of glee plastered on his face. 

Tom took hold of it, awed. “A Comet 180, these just came out!” 

Harry walked out of Magical Menagerie carrying a box. “It’s a kneazle,” he said, showing Tom the odd looking cat-like creature inside. “They’re very intelligent. I thought you would appreciate that.” 

“I do,” Tom said, petting it. He looked up at Harry. “Thank you!” 

“You’re welcome, darling.” 

Albus pressed his hands together and bent forward to look at the interesting creature. “What will you name him?” 

“Lord Voldemort,” Tom said, drawing shocked surprise out of the two men. 

“What did you just say?” Harry asked him, handing the box to Albus to take the boy by his arms. “Why would you say that? Where did you get that name from?” 

Tom gasped, seeing how alarmed his father reacted to it. “I hear you say it in your sleep a lot. You sometimes scream it. I thought it sounded interesting. Should I not name him that?” 

Harry looked up at Albus. Albus gave him a nod. “I guess it’s a fine name for an exotic animal. Fitting.” 

Albus ushered the two along, feeling his stomach growling. “Let’s go meet up with the Flamels for lunch.” 

“That sounds great,” Harry said, clasping hands with both of them. 

* * *

“Remember,” Harry said, taking Tom by the arm before he perched on the stool in the front of the dining hall. He tapped the boy's temple a couple of times with the tip of his finger. “Just say 'not Slytherin'.” 

“Right,” Tom said, giving him a nod. He sat on the stool and Albus lowered the hat over his head. “Not Slytherin,” he reminded him, giving him a smile of encouragement. 

Tom gave his other father a curt nod as he tapped his temple. "Not Slytherin. Got it, daddy."

Regardless... _“Slytherin, through and through!”_ the hat shouted. 

Tom bit his thumbnail, looking guilty at both men. “I did say it.” 

Harry and Albus looked at each other and frowned before looking back at their sadly confused son. Harry smiled at him, and once more tapped the boy's temple. "You're just too damned amazing, that's all. Slytherin needs more like you with them, that's why the hat chose it for you."

Albus grinned too, giving the boy a reassuring nod. 

Tom glanced back at the little girl with thick glasses that had been watching him since his arrival take her place on the stool. She was annoying, mouthy, whined the whole time they waited for their turn, but somehow he knew she was doing all of that to get his attention. She was a lot more intelligent than she let on.

 _"Ravenclaw, this one!"_ the hat screamed. 

He sighed, somewhat hoping she would have been picked to join his house.

* * *

“You lied to me.” 

Harry opened one eye, and found Tom standing over the bed looking very cross. “What’s the matter?” He gave Albus a little shake to rouse him. “Are we late? Did we sleep in?” 

“No, I can’t sleep. I’ve been thinking on this after talking with Avery and Mulcibur after classes,” he said, and those names drew a frown on Harry’s lips. “You both can’t possibly be my fathers. Two men can’t make babies. Which one of you is my real father and who is my real mother?” 

“Oh,” Harry said, cringing and sitting upright. 

Albus gave his knee a pat, knowing Tom was far too intelligent to not figure something out soon. 

Harry cleared his throat. “Um, I’m your father, Tom. Your mother died giving birth to you.” 

“That’s a lie…” Tom said, looking into his father’s eyes, backing away in disbelief. “You’re not my real father, are you? Neither of you are.” 

“Tom, come here,” Harry ordered, holding his arms out, scooping him up when he threw himself into them. He hugged him and kissed his forehead to soothe his sadness. “I’m sorry, darling. I’m so sorry I kept this from you. Your mother died giving birth to you, that part is true. I adopted you from an orphanage the day after you were born. Your father’s unimportant, a person who treated your mother very poorly and left her to starve and die alone in pregnancy because he was a very selfish person. That’s all you need to know about him, because there isn't anything else worth speaking of to tell you. But know this,” he said, feeling the boy whimpering against him. He cupped his chin, looking straight into his eyes so that he could see the truth. “Look at me, darling. Albus and me, we are your real fathers no matter what those boys say. We love you more than anything else in this entire world.” 

Tom sniffled and wiped his nose on his sleeve, feeling his heart lift and flutter at seeing the truth spoken directly to him. “What was my mother's name?” 

“Merope,” Harry said. “Her name was Merope, dear.” 

The boy smiled. “That’s a nice name.” 

“Yes, it is.”

* * *

**January 1943**

Harry dropped down on the sofa beside Albus and gave him a strawberry. “He found the Chamber of Secrets last night. I followed him under the cloak. He didn’t release it, Albus. I’m so proud of him.” 

Albus patted his knee. “You’ve done a fine job of raising him.” 

“As have you. Those friends of his worry me. They worship that man. Tom worships him. They’re delusional, thinks he’s got the right idea.” 

“When it comes down to it he’ll make the right choice, Harry,” Albus said, putting an arm around his shoulders. 

Harry dropped his head on his chest. “I hope you’re right. I’m so worried. He’s not that adorable little boy anymore. He’s so stiff, reminds me so much of his other self. He’s taller than me now, too,” he said, pouting. “Damn you tall people.” 

Albus chuckled. “You worry too much.” 

* * *

Albus comforted the weeping girl and looked at Tom. “It’s alright, Myrtle. I’m sure he didn’t mean it.” He beckoned his son over to his side in the hallway in front of the Transfigurations classroom. “Did you mean to curse her, Tom? Did you do it on purpose?” 

"Ravenclaws are far too dramatic." Tom looked off into the hallway, rolling his eyes. “She’s such a nuisance. My wand slipped.” 

“Wands don’t slip,” Albus said. “Detention tonight.” 

“What? You can’t give me detention, I’m a Prefect!” 

“Go on, Myrtle.” Albus turned to the boy, looking somewhat perturbed. “Of course I can give you detention, I’m a teacher, that trumps Prefect.” 

“Famous Albus Dumbledore, the most powerful wizard in the world - a mere teacher. You should be Minister of Magic. They’ve offered you the position numerous times!” 

Albus crinkled his nose. “I don’t want that kind of power. It’s too tempting to abuse it,” he said, growing angry. "Like your bloody hero, Grindelwald. Look what he's done when given power!"

“This is such a waste of time talking to you about anything.” Tom turned to leave. 

“Do not be late for detention, Tom. In my classroom, eight o’clock.” 

Tom waved him off. “Fine, fine.” 

* * *

**May 1944**

Harry carded his fingers through his hair and pinched the bridge of his nose. He set his glasses on his desk in wait for Albus’s arrival. 

“What is it, Harry?” Albus said as he entered the empty classroom. “What’s happened?” 

“He was in the Restricted Section a short while ago. He was looking up dark magic.” He sighed, his hands shaking as he put his glasses back on. “It didn’t matter; the love, the attention we gave him. I did the best I could and he’s still going to turn into him.” 

Albus crossed his arms. “He’s not going to turn into him.” 

Harry fought not to cry. “Yes he is.” 

“No, he’s not, Harry.” Albus pulled him out of his chair and hugged him. “He’s a good boy. Loads of young wizards and witches go in there to look that stuff up. He’s far too intelligent to not think about it. Give him the benefit of the doubt.” 

Harry nuzzled into his robes. “I found a photo of Grindelwald in his wallet.” 

Albus held him out at arm’s length. “Stop spying on him.” 

“I can’t,” he said, shaking his head. “I know the moment I turn my head it’ll happen.” 

“You’re making yourself paranoid, Harry. It’s getting worse.” He petted his hair, having pulled him back into his arms. 

He trembled in his embrace. “I can’t tell you in words how much of a monster the man was. He had you murdered, Albus. He tried to force a student to do it. He hunted me like an animal and struck me down without mercy.” 

Albus sighed, still petting him. “He would never do that now, I promise.” 

Harry inhaled a shivering breath. “I hope you’re right.” 

* * *

**June, 1945**

“What is this?” Harry shook Tom’s homework in his face. The words ‘For the Greater Good’ were written on it in Tom’s penmanship. “Hm?” Lord Voldemort rubbed around his legs. 

“What?” Tom said, feigning ignorance. He stood up from the table, towering over his father to brush past him. “It’s just words, dad.” The Head Boy gazed at himself in the mirror, looking at his beautiful blue-green eyes. 

Harry scooped Tom’s wand up and shook it several times, causing it to regurgitate the spells it had cast. 

Tom whirled around, stunned. “What? You’re checking up on me again? That’s my business!” He tore the wand away, furious. “You’re always spying on me. I’m not doing anything wrong!” 

“Who’d you use the stunner spell on?” Harry asked him, livid, with his hands on his hips. Lord Voldemort jumped up into Tom’s arms to glare at Harry. 

Tom’s mouth fell open. “A Nogtail!” 

Harry flinched and dropped his hands. “Oh, Tom, I’m sorry.” He handed Tom a stack of papers and took Lord Voldemort from him to apologise. “I got you an application to the Ministry of Magic, talked to someone in the Department of Mysteries earlier, said your scores would easily land you a position like you wanted.” But Tom set the papers down. 

“I’ve changed my mind about working there,” he said. “I’m thinking about travelling. Visiting other countries.” 

“During a war?” Harry said, his lip twitching. He set Lord Voldemort on the table. “You’re going to join his army, aren’t you? _AREN’T YOU?_ ” 

Lord Voldemort hissed at him. 

Tom petted his faithful companion while giving his father an arrogant sneer. "When cats, even kneazles, hiss at you, it is their attempt at the mimicking of a snake, father. Because snakes are frightening, deadly creatures you should not upset."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Is that a threat?"

"No, it's a warning." Tom glared at his father. “I’m tired of you telling me what I can and can’t do! I'll go where I want!” 

“I won’t allow it!” 

“You can’t stop me, I’m of age now! You’re not even my real father!” 

Harry took his wand out. “I am your real father and I will stop you!” 

Tom held his wand up, pointing it at his father. “Lower your wand, dad.” 

“You lower yours,” Harry warned. 

Lord Voldemort took a swipe at Harry, distracting him and Tom struck. 

* * *

“…are you alright? Look at me! What happened?” 

Harry opened his eyes, groaning. He rubbed the back of his head as he sat up. “He’s gone, isn’t he?” 

“Yes, he’s gone,” Albus told him. He pulled Harry into his arms as he started to cry. 

* * *

**July, 1945**

Standing off to the side under his cloak, Harry scanned all the faces of the boys marching down the street in front of Nurmengard, hoping to catch a glimpse of Tom. He came every day to watch them, praying Tom was still alive and that he might save him. 

Off in the distance, Gellert Grindelwald was watching his boys and caught sight of Harry. Sneaking up behind him, he stunned him before he knew what happened. 

“What an excellent find.” 

* * *

“Tom, my boy,” Grindelwald said, addressing the young man as he entered the room. The door closed and locked behind him. 

“You wanted to see me, sir?” The man pulled the cloak away from the chair he was standing next to, revealing Harry beneath. Tom paled and Harry cringed. “Dad?” He looked up at Grindelwald. “What’s going on?” 

“He was outside looking for you. I saw him through the cloak. He is Albus Dumbledore’s lover, is he not?” 

Tom grimaced. “He’s my father, sir. What are you planning on doing?” 

“Not me,” he said, grinning. “You. You want to get him back, right? They ruined your lives, right? That’s why you came running to me, is it not? Killing this man will destroy Dumbledore. Prove your loyalty to me. Kill this man.” 

Tom gaped at him. “I’m not killing him.” 

Grindelwald pulled his wand free. “Oh, yes you will or I’ll kill you both. Do it, Tom.” 

“You sonuvabitch. Don’t you touch my son.” Harry closed his eyes. “Do what he says, Tom. Kill me.” He heard the spell being cast and braced himself for death, having failed Tom, the world, Albus. He heard something big hit the ground beside him and opened his eyes, gasping as Tom pulled him out of the chair. 

“Are you alright, dad? Did he hurt you?” 

Harry looked down, seeing the corpse of Grindelwald with a look of pure shock forever etched on his face. “Oh gods,” he said, grabbing his wand out of the dead man’s robes. He unravelled the cloak, taking Tom’s hand. “Take his wand. We have to get out of here right now.” 

* * *

**August, 1948**

“Oh, there you are,” Harry said, seeing Tom and Myrtle step out of the fireplace. The former Ravenclaw gazed up at her new husband, smiling brightly. “How was your honeymoon?” 

Albus scooted Harry over next to him to make room for the newlyweds. “It was amazing! We rode camels,” Myrtle said. 

Both men grinned. “That sounds like fun.” 

"Uncle Aberforth took Myrtle to see Aunt Ariana's and my mummy's graves, too. He's been tending to them all this time. It's always very refreshing to visit with him, such an amazing wizard. And to think, I almost didn't know he existed. Also, he hopes to have you two over for dinner soon," Tom told his fathers, but he was looking directly at Albus. He smiled a cheeky smile that forced his dimples to appear, something that always melted the icy contention surrounding Albus's and his brother's relationship.

Albus slumped a bit in his seat. He drew a long breath as something evil flickered in his baby blue eyes. "Have I told you children the tale about my brother and a certain goat?"

Harry clapped a hand over Albus' mouth. "You will not, Albus!"

"Oh, tell us!" Tom teased. Myrtle tucked herself into Tom's embrace to hide her flush cheeks while she giggled like a school girl.

Harry pinched his companion's thigh, causing him to squeak. "Tell your son you'll consider the invitation."

Albus made a small noise in his throat as he gave the boy a nod. "I'll consider it."

Harry threw an arm around his companion's neck and pulled him into a hug. "We'll get him, Tom. He's gonna cave soon."

Tom grinned evilly as he rubbed his hands together for added drama. "That we will, daddy."

“Tom told me the best story again the other day. It just keeps changing, and for the better! Tell it again, Tom.” Myrtle shook his knee to lighten the mood, knowing this tale always filled the room with silliness. 

Harry rolled his eyes. “Yes, Tom, let’s hear all the new, interesting things you’ve added to the tall tale.” He allowed Myrtle to cuddle him for comfort while Tom warmed up.

Albus chuckled. 

Tom cleared his throat, smirking at his younger father. “So, being an all around angst-riddled teen we all love and remember, no pun intended, I easily overpowered and hung my father from the ceiling, bounced him around the walls, you know, the usual after he threatened to have me arrested for becoming an evil wizard. Lord Voldemort attacked him, as well. He crumbled like a biscuit from the swipe. It was truly embarrassing.” He winked at his father’s red face and continued. “Then, as the worried old granny that he is, he comes looking for me and, again, is easily captured by the dark wizard Grindelwald like the damsel he is and I, the savour of the wizarding world, had to rescue him. And he thought I was going to kill him. They both did! I was never more disappointed in the man.” 

“And I was never more proud,” Harry added. He put his arms around Albus' and Myrtle's necks, pulling both in for a hug. 

Albus kissed the top of his head. “You see?” he whispered into his ear. “Not only is he not the Dark Lord he was to become, he’s a bloody hero. You did it, Harry. You did good.” 

“We did it, Albus. You did good, too.” 

The end

 


End file.
